Hawaii ups offer as Jones talks to SMU, report says

Published 6:00 pm, Friday, January 4, 2008

The University of Hawaii has offered football coach June Jones a new contract _ its second offer in 24 hours _ that would make him the highest-paid coach in the Western Athletic Conference or the Mountain West Conference.

Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier told the Honolulu Advertiser he presented the offer to Jones together with UH President David McClain and UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw.

The second offer, made even before the university heard back from Jones and agent Leigh Steinberg about the first offer, came just before Jones was scheduled to travel to Dallas this weekend to discuss the head coaching position at SMU.

Jones, 54, is coming off the most successful season in UH history.

The Warriors finished the regular season 12-0 before losing to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Hawaii had won 22 of its previous 23 games and 13 straight, the longest streak in major college football.

Jones currently earns $800,016 a year under a five-year contract with Hawaii that expires June 30.

The Dallas Morning News reported Southern Methodist University has offered Jones between $1.7 million and $2 million a year.

UH would not say how much it offered Jones. But figures provided by the university show Fresno State's Pat Hill, who earns an annual salary of $1,229,996, is the highest-paid Western Athletic Conference coach.

Hawaii's most recent offer was made late Friday night. The other offer, made earlier Friday, was in the $1.1 million range, the Advertiser reported.

Frazier said he asked Jones to call him before deciding on SMU's offer.